A Thing Muggles Call Irony
by DistortedBeliefs
Summary: Professor McGonagall plays match maker with the new student. Tell me what you think. I adore constructive reviews. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this one, so let me know if you want me to.


I stood there, horrified with the realization that I might actually be in love with him. Him. A muggle. Other students continued to weave around me to their classes, continuing their lives as if nothing was amiss. What would her parents say? I was a pureblood. A _S____lytherin _pureblood. My stomach became queasy. Sprinting to the bathroom, I looked at no one- consumed by a need to turn invisible. I bent over and emptied what little I'd eaten today into the toilet, when a cool brush lifted her hair. Completely drained, I looked up.

"Hello, Myrtle," I whispered with absolutely no inflection. I didn't like the ghost, but there was no reason to let her know that when she was being nice. "You haven't visited my toilet in a while, Athena." When I didn't say anything, Myrtle seemed to want to fill the silence for reasons that were unbeknownst to me. "I learned you share your name with the Goddess of Wisdom," she ranted. Ironic. Absolutely ironic. Today was just getting better and better. If the ghost said anymore, I would spill my guts to her. "Uhm, I gotta go," I said quickly and fled the room." I was just rounding a corner when- "Miss. Wemilat." A voice much too familiar called. Irritated, I turned. I just wanted to be alone, but you never are; not here, never at Hogwarts. I faced my least favorite professor with a small look of annoyance, not able to keep it all off my face. "Professor McGonagall, what may I do for you?" "Please come with me." Great, just let me hang myself now, so the witch hunters can burn me. We walked to her office in what seemed like seconds through my haze. What if my father finds out? Will he kill him? What about my mother? Will she force me into an arranged marriage? I only told my best friend, but accidents happen. What if it slips out?!

"Miss. Wemilat. Miss Wemilat?" I blinked. "You may sit if you'd like," she announced. ___Ohhhh, how gracious of you, Queen O' Gyrffindors_, I silently quipped as I sat. "Miss. Wemilat, I wanted to talk to you about something personal. I wanted to talk to you about something I overheard." Oh no, oh no,_ oh no_.  
"You shouldn't eavesdrop. It's rude and unbecoming." I countered.  
"Straight out of your mother's mouth, Athena. I know you aren't like her."  
"It doesn't stop her from being my mother."  
"No… no, it doesn't."

She looked away and for a couple of seconds we sat in silence. "Soooooo, is there a reason I'm here or were you looking for someone to have a staring contest with you?" She zeroed in on my face, resignation and a tiredness so profound made her face age and her eyes soften so much that I had to look away. "Yes, Athena. I wanted to tell you about my mother." ___Her mother? What in the world is going on? _She married a muggle." I winced. "They were very much in love, but she always had to hide a part of herself. The part that makes us who we are. When she had me, it became worse. My mother was tormented by my father's mental decline as more and more magic was introduced, so she began to hide it all. Everything. She died of a broken heart." I looked at her. "Maybe he was just weak," I whispered.

Professor McGonagall then gave me a look that would make milk curdle. "No, I do not believe that was it. Later in my life, I fell in love with a man. He owned a farm. He was-"  
"A muggle?" I chimed in.  
"I was going to say sweet, but yes, he was a muggle."  
I frowned. "You weren't married to a muggle."  
She smiled sadly, "no, I was not."  
"Why not?"

I stared at her hard- willing her to say any words then the one I knew were about to come out. "I didn't want to ruin his life. I loved him too much. He's now happily married." I stared at her, unconcerned by the water filling my eyes.  
"You let him go?"  
"Yes."  
She handed me a tissue. I took it. I understood. If you love someone, you want what's best for them. Always. Snape told me something similar at the beginning of the year during a detention I was serving for pixing a boy for leering at me. Not on purpose, of course. Snape, not the boy, I definitely pixed him on purpose. He'd never say anything about her on purpose. My deep thoughts were uprooted when the head Lioness started talking again.

"…I'd like you to show him around the school. I know you are quite the hostess."  
"Show who?"  
"Were you not listening? Edrik Eloy. He's a transfer."  
My brain was scrambling at the change of topic. "I'll go get him. Stay here." I stared at her as she left. ___Great, a guy named after a saint. _I sat there uncomfortable. Did the Queen of the Jungle just open up to me? I was tired and confused. Sigh. I got up and started to the door when it opened. Brilliant green eyes stopped me.

"Hello, I'm Edrik Eloy." I focused. What in the world was wrong with me? Irritated, I added, "And your name means 'Wealthy Saint.' I'm Athena Wemilat." He chuckled darkly, "And yours means Wealthy Goddess of Wisdom." I looked at him stunned when McGonagall rushed in. "Oh, I see you've met. Good. Take him to the Common Room and show him his classes. Here's his schedule." She handed me his paperwork and when I only stared at her, I could practically see the sparkle in her eyes. "Well? Are you going to hang out in my office all day?"

I looked her suspiciously. "Chill, Head Lioness. I'll get out of your cave and take your cub." I started for the door. "Come on, wealthy saint." We walked out the door then. I looked at him again.  
"So are you a wealthy saint?" He grinned.  
"I'm one, but not the other. You'll have to figure it out. Are you? A wealthy goddess of wisdom, I mean?"  
"I'm one, but not the other. Figure out which at your own risk," I quipped back.

-Thea (July 17th 2012)

(( McGonagall's back story is actually one of J.K. Rowling's ghost plots. It is posted on Pottermore, if you want to read more into it. ))


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